


First Date Woes

by charmed310



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Post Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:25:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charmed310/pseuds/charmed310
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Draco’s first child, and only daughter Cordelia goes on her first date. Draco despairs that the young man will never be good enough. Harry despairs that Draco hasn’t got a clue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Date Woes

**Author's Note:**

> Written for harrydracompreg's 2013 Fest on Live Journal

* *  
*

‘Welcome home, Cordie!’ 

Harry Potter opened his arms wide and Cordelia ran into them, hugging him hard. He closed his eyes and squeezed her just as tightly. She had grown so much since Christmas! 

‘Cordie!’ 

Harry was pushed out of the way as his son Sam threw his arms around his sister.

‘You’ve been gone for _ever_!’ he cried.

Cordelia laughed and ruffled his blond hair. ‘You’ll be seeing loads more of me that you want to in September, don’t worry. I’ll be taking complete advantage of you in my last year.’

Sam’s eyes were alight with happiness at the thought of being at Hogwarts with his big sister. He could talk of practically nothing else since Cordie’s last visit. He would be turning eleven in August and Harry knew his sights were set on that Hogwarts school owl that would carry his acceptance letter. Ron and Hermione Weasley’s son Hugo, Sam’s best friend, would be going in September too. Harry and Draco agreed that the number of school owls coming to them after September would be plentiful.

Draco walked into the house, Cordelia’s school trunk floating behind him, and a cat carrier under one arm where her beloved calico Princess Fluffybutt was yowling to be let out. Cordelia took the carrier from her father and kissed his cheek. 

‘Thanks Dad.’

The small cat shot straight up the stairs the moment she was free and Cordie and Sam traipsed after her chattering avidly. 

‘Dinner on the table in half an hour,’ Harry called after them. 

‘Hello,’ Draco said, kissing Harry. ‘How was your day?’

‘Busy. Thanks for picking her up alone. I know you don’t like driving.’

Draco grinned and turned to look at the Mercedes ML350 that was parked in the garage. ‘It’s not so bad driving in that. I may even take it to work next week.’

Draco had decided to buy the fancy SUV when, after fifteen years of living in their semi-Muggle neighbourhood, he discovered that theirs was the only vehicle that had been manufactured in the 90s. Keeping up appearances was important to Draco. 

‘Might as well show it off.’

‘Exactly.’

Later, as the family chatted at the table over their pudding, Harry paused and took in the beauty of it all. He loved having them all together like this. Though there was such a big age gap between Cordie and Sam, they had the most amazing relationship from the time Sam was born. They’d owled frequently while Cordie was at Hogwarts, and there was always a very contented energy in the house when the two of them where there together.

‘Oh,’ said Cordelia suddenly. ‘I almost forgot to tell you I won’t be home for dinner tomorrow night.’

‘Where will you be?’ Draco asked raising his glass of red to his lips.

‘I have a date.’

Draco stared at Cordelia while drinking steadily. Harry pressed his arm down before he drained the glass.

‘With whom, may I ask?’

‘Kaiden Forrest,’ she said, smiling slightly and blushing.

‘Oooooh!’ Sam teased. ‘He finally asked you?’

‘Finally? What do you mean, ‘finally’?’ Draco demanded.

‘Cordie’s been going on about him for _weeks_ ,’ Sam said. ‘They’ve been really boring recently, your owls.’

‘Thanks, Sammy. I’m surprised you didn’t already tell them all about it,’ she said, rolling her eyes at Harry, who chuckled.

‘Well, you asked me not to. I’m trying to be a good brother, here.’

‘Back to the matter at hand,’ Draco said pompously. ‘Who are his parents?’ 

‘Mr and Mrs Forrest.’

Harry tried hard not to laugh as he took another mouthful of apple crumble.

‘Cordelia!’

‘Dad, what do you want me to say? I haven’t met them yet. However, it will interest you to know that Mr Forrest is a lawyer, and Mrs Forrest owns a wizarding Montessori.’

Harry felt a little smug when Cordelia told him that. Draco himself had studied magical law and had a very successful practice. 

‘And this boy, Kaiden, what’s he planning to study?’

‘Healing. He’s just sat his NEWTs, actually.’

‘Wait, wait. Are you telling me that this boy is of age?’

‘Yes, Dad, he’s just left Hogwarts.’

‘Do you see much of him at school?’ Harry asked quickly, wanting to stop Draco from firing these ridiculous questions.

‘We met earlier this year in Defence group, and we’ve been to Hogsmeade a few times with all our friends, but he’s been really busy with studying, so we haven’t gone out much. This is sort of our first real date,’ Cordelia said, blushing deeper. ‘He’s taking me for dinner in London.’

‘That sounds very nice,’ Harry said as he kicked Draco under the table to shut him up. Draco was _that_ father who thought no one was good enough for his daughter, and Harry idly wondered if he would be the same with Sam when he discovered girls.

The children excused themselves from the table shortly after when Draco remained in stony silence, staring at his empty pudding bowl. Harry cleared away with a flick of his wand and touched Draco’s shoulder.

‘I’m going up to bed.’

He grunted and poured himself another glass of wine. 

‘You’re far too sensitive, you know. She’s going to be all right,’ Harry said.

Draco rounded on him. ‘Are you trying to tell me you’re _pleased_ knowing that our daughter has probably been gallivanting all over Hogsmeade with some eighteen year old boy? She is sixteen!’

‘Would you rather she went out with a grown man? Let’s get real, here. She _is_ sixteen, and if you think she’s as innocent as I think you do, you need to try again.’

‘Enough! I don’t want to hear about it! She’s too young to be dating.’

Harry rolled his eyes. ‘Her schoolwork hasn’t suffered, she hasn’t got into nearly the same amount of trouble you and I had when we were her age, and she’s far too smart to allow anything to happen that she doesn’t want to.’

‘I’m not comfortable with this, Harry.’

‘Do man up and _get_ comfortable with it. She’s not a little girl anymore. If _I_ can accept that, and I carried her, so can you.’

Harry turned and marched up the stairs. He had known long ago that the day would come when Cordelia told them that she had a boyfriend - or girlfriend, Harry wasn’t fussy - and he supposed he expected Draco to react in this way. 

The day Cordelia was born and he held her for the first time, Harry knew that it was the end for him and Draco. Game over. She was utterly gorgeous, even as a pink and wrinkled new-born, with a full head of dark hair and the most amazing silvery grey eyes they thought would darken with age, but which only grew more beautiful and luminous. Though Harry was always of the opinion that every parent thought that their child was the most beautiful and most perfect, he couldn’t dispute the number of people who told him how lovely she was. 

As she grew, Harry noticed a distinct resemblance to Draco’s side of the family. She had Harry’s nose, but there was something about her careless good looks that made him ask for some Black family photographs when they visited Lucius and Narcissa. Draco pulled out some photos from the 70s and held one up of Sirius at the same age as Cordelia. They could have been twins. A flabbergasted Harry could scarcely believe that genes could be so strong, and when Narcissa commented that Sirius had been quite the ‘witches’ wizard’ in school, Draco began shopping for chastity belts soon thereafter.

Harry remembered her at the age of six looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror one morning while he got ready for work. She put on his glasses and watched as Harry applied shaving foam to his face and began removing the dark stubble that had grown in.

‘You’re so pretty, Daddy,’ she said.

Harry laughed. ‘I think you’d better take those glasses off before you say that.’

‘Nah, you’re pretty all the time. You have nice eyes.’

‘You have nice eyes, too.’

She sighed and stared at herself in the mirror. 'I don't think anyone will marry me.'

'I'll marry you, darling,' he told her.

'You've got a husband already.'

‘I dunno. He’s not as pretty as you.’

‘I hope no one marries me just because I’m pretty.’

Harry laughed to himself at the memory. He hoped this boy Kaiden understood how very precious their daughter was. 

Draco came up to the room when Harry was already reading in bed. He huffed and sighed angrily while undressing and pulling on a pair of pyjama bottoms. He brushed his teeth and got into bed next to Harry and huffed some more. 

Harry laid his book down on the bedside table and turned to him. ‘Would you like to talk about it?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘She’s a good girl, Draco, and I’m sure Kaiden Forrest is just as nice as she says he is.’

Draco sighed again. ‘It’s just, she’s our baby. I can’t bear to think of some boy with his hands all over her, or kissing her, ugh!’

‘You didn’t mind very much when you had your hands all over this boy and kissed him when he was young and innocent,’ Harry said, brushing his fingers across Draco’s cheek. 

‘That’s definitely not the same thing,’ Draco protested.

‘Oh yes, it is.’ He kissed Draco softly on the mouth and, pulling his husband in closely, Harry proceeded to remind him what it felt like to be young again. Twice.

* *  
*

The following evening, Harry gazed at Cordelia in the bathroom mirror as she put on her makeup. She would never allow Draco in there with her. He was too critical. She dabbed on a last touch of lipstick and disappeared into her bedroom. 

Harry dutifully zipped up her dress when she returned a few minutes later carrying a pair of high heels in her hand.

'Those are nice,' he commented, nodding at the red-soled strappy concoction. 

'Nan took me shopping at Harvey Nicks,' Cordelia said airily, inadvertently letting Harry know that they were more expensive than he cared to think about. She had a penchant for famous Muggle shoe designers and he was sure the ones with the red soles were the most detrimental to his vault.

'Did she buy them, or did I?'

'You.'

'Cordelia...'

'Daddy...' she mocked, smirking at him as she continued to primp in the mirror. 'They were on sale. Four hundred pounds when they're normally six.'

'Cordelia! _Four hundred pounds?_ '

'What? That's hardly eighty galleons. Besides, Dad spends ten times that on wine, which might I remind you, will never last as long as these shoes - especially after tonight at the rate he's going.'

'Your father makes his own money to spend as he likes. When you have a big-paying job, feel free to buy as many pairs of designer shoes as you want. For now, please try to take a little less advantage.'

'All right, all right. But can we agree that they're perfect? Just for now?'

Harry looked at the beautiful young lady posing in front of him and for a moment he could still see his baby girl playing dress-up in her grandmother's wardrobe.

'Yes.' Harry kissed her softly on the head. 'Stop growing up so fast.'

Cordelia rolled her eyes at him. 'Not growing fast enough.' She pulled at the front of her dress and Harry had to close his eyes. The last thing he needed to picture was the eyeful of cleavage Kaiden would get if Cordelia had her way. 

'Cordie, you're perfect just how I made you.'

‘Whatever, Dad.’

Harry scrunched up his nose at her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. ‘I love you.’

‘Yeah, yeah, that’s what you keep saying.’ 

‘Only because it’s true.’ Harry left his daughter to finish primping. Kaiden had said he would be collecting her at eight o’ clock. It was now ten to and he wanted to have a word with Draco before he arrived.

Draco sat in the living room, his wand clearly visible in one hand while the other held a large glass of wine which he was taking a healthy mouthful. He wore a deep scowl, and glared at Harry as though it were his fault that Cordelia was going on this date.

‘Please, don’t ruin this for her,’ Harry said sternly.

‘He’d better be on time or she won’t be going at all.’

‘Draco, you’re being ridiculous.’

‘What’s she wearing?’

‘She’s wearing clothes, Draco, and shoes, and make-up. What do you think?’

‘I’m sure it’s too short, whatever it is.’

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. ‘Sometimes, I wish you couldn’t speak.’

Draco took another gulp of wine, his jaw set.

Cordelia came into the room then, and Harry smiled at her. He could just make out a softening in his husband’s eyes, noting how beautiful their daughter was. 

‘How do I look?’ Cordie asked, cheekily twirling.

‘You look lovely,’ Draco conceded.

‘Thank you. I didn’t try at all,’ she replied.

The doorbell rang and Draco set down his glass to answer it, his wand still in his hand. Harry got up to stand next to Cordie.

‘It’s going to be fine.’

‘I don’t know who he thinks he’s threatening with that wand,’ she muttered.

Harry could hear the exchange at the front door from the sitting room.

‘Good evening, Mr Malfoy. I’m Kaiden Forrest, here to pick up Cordelia.’ 

‘Good evening, Kaiden. Please come in.’

‘So far so polite,’ Cordelia muttered under her breath as Harry snorted with laughter.

Draco and Kaiden entered the room, and Harry was glad to note Draco had put his wand out of sight. He smiled and went to shake hands. Kaiden was a very good-looking young man; tall and lean with short brown hair, a lovely straight nose and square jaw, and deep blue eyes. Oh, to be young.

‘Hello, Mr Potter,’ Kaiden said. He had a good strong handshake, and looked him in the eye. 

‘Good too meet you, Kaiden. Cordie’s told us a lot about you. Congratulations on leaving Hogwarts.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

Harry stood back and watched the way Kaiden greeted Cordelia. He didn’t blush or seem embarrassed as he told her ‘hello’ very softly and kissed her on the cheek. Next to him, Draco shuffled restlessly and Harry elbowed him surreptitiously. 

‘I’m sorry Sammo isn’t here,’ Cordie said. ‘He really wanted to meet you, but he’s spending the night at a friend’s house.’

‘I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to meet him soon.’

‘Definitely.’ Cordelia flashed him her winning smile. ‘Shall we go, then?’

Kaiden smiled at Harry and Draco and thanked them for allowing him to take Cordie out so soon after returning home from Hogwarts, and he hoped that he would see them more over the summer.

‘We look forward to it,’ Harry said. ‘Have a good time tonight.’

‘And behave yourselves,’ Draco added.

‘Dad!’ Cordelia cried.

But Kaiden laughed. ‘Cordie, if my daughter is as beautiful as you, I’d tell anyone she went out with the same thing. I’ll take very good care of her, and have her back safely by ten.’

‘You do that,’ Draco said, giving the boy a swift smile. ‘And perhaps we’ll allow you to take her out again.’

‘Thank you, Mr Malfoy. I won’t disappoint you.’

The exchange was light, and Harry knew Draco had changed his mind about Kaiden, though he was just as certain Draco would never admit it. Poor Kaiden was in for a rough time of it. 

Cordelia was kissed by both Harry and Draco, and the two young people left the house. 

Draco poured Harry a glass of wine and they sat together on the sofa. He put his arm around Harry and rested his head on his shoulder.

‘That was hard. Can’t you send a unit of Aurors out with her?’

‘I really can’t, though it would be entertaining.’

Draco looked very forlorn. ‘I feel like it was just the other day she was telling me stories about fairies and unicorns, and that I was her favourite friend. Now she’s going on dates with _boys_!’

Harry laughed and patted his husband’s head comfortingly. ‘Ah, love. You just wait until her wedding day!’

* Fin *


End file.
